Caps for posts of free standing partitions



Aug. 29, 1961 EJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII H. E. HUTZELMAN CAPS FOR POSTS OFFREE STANDING PARTITIONS Filed May 23, 1958 1 13/. J [Imam/L 1N VENTOR.[fizz/mm? jam/ M Hon ner- Un d Stat s Patent ,0

2,998,110 CAPS FOR POSTS OF FREE STANDING PARTITIONS Howard E.Hutzelman, Corry, Pa., assignor to Corry- Jamestown ManufacturingCorporation, Corry, Pa., a corporation of New York Filed May 23, 1958,Ser. No. 737,252 2 Claims. (Cl. 189-42) This invention relates toimprovements in partitions and particularly to those of the freestanding type wherein the height is selectively less than the height ofa room, such partitions being generally used to sub-divide oflice areasand the like into smaller semi-private areas.

In partitions of this type, the posts, both end and intermediate, arerequired to be closed or capped at their upper ends, not only to enhancethe appearance of the partition as a whole, but to conceal and enclosethe unfinished post ends and, of course, eliminate access to an areawhere dust or dirt might collect. Of course,

post caps should be designed to also provide a trim or rors in panelheight necessitate providing a post cap U that will conceal a post endeven though there may be slight errors in the manufacture or assembly ofthe post or a connected panel. Furthermore, partitions of the freestanding type are often required to be disassembled and reassembled insome other arrangement as may be necessitated by changes in ofiicerequirements occurring from time to time and, of course, in order toaccomplish this, the post caps must be readily removable.

The present invention is primarily directed to and has for one of itsobjects the provision of an attractive cap for the top of a freestanding partition post that may be easily mounted or removed.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a cap that maybe firmly secured to a post in order to withstand any possibleinadvertent displacement or removal.

Another and important object of the invention lies in the provision of acap that may be fitted on to a post end in a manner and to an extentthat it will conceal any discrepancies as between post height and paneland present a finished appearance to these parts.

It is a further and important object of the invention that, although thepanels, posts, and caps of a partition of this type are prefabricated,no on-the-job changes or corrections or special tools are required tomount or remove the caps.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from a consideration of the following specification, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing; in which FIG. 1 is a sideelevational view of a portion of a free standing partition and inparticular shows a post fitted with a cap embodying one form of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 3-3of FIG. 2 and shows the cap securing means prior to being operated; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional View of a portionof the structure in FIG. 3 and shows 2,998,110 Patented Aug. 29, 196-1the stem of the cap forced into pressure engagement with the enclosingwalls of the core of the post.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the reference numeral 10 isemployed to generally designate a portion of a free standing partitionwhich, among other parts, includes a post 11 and panel 12. In thepresent disclosure, the post 11is rectangular and includes cornersections 13, each adjacent pair of these sections having a web 14connecting it with a core 16 that has an opening 17 therethrough ofsubstantially uniform diameter. Between any pair of sections 13, thepost is recessed to receive one vertical edge of a panel 12 or a closurestrip 15.

In all free standing partitions-that is, partitions that derive theirentire support and stability from the floor and their angulararrangementthe intermediate and end posts do not extend to the ceilingof the room or area in which the partition is located. Consequently, thetop of each post 11 must be closed off and a cap 18 is provided for thispurpose. Since the post 11 is rectangular, the cap will be in conformityand, in the present instance, includes a top 19, from which a rim, inthe form of integral flanges 21, depends. A stem 22 extends downwardlyfrom the center of the cap and, as shown, is of considerably greaterlength than the depth of the flanges 21. This stem has an opening 23extending therethrough, the lower end of the opening being thinned downsubstantially as suggested at 24 in FIGS. 3 and 4. The other end of thestem opening 23 connects with a countersunk opening 26 made in the top19 of the cap. As frequently occurs in partitions of this type, theupper end of the post may be waist or shoulder height and, therefore,caps mounted on these posts are commonly grasped or bumped and subjectto displacement if no provision were made to firmly secure them inplace. The present means by which to secure the cap 18 is to project ascrew 27 downwardly through the stem opening 23. This screw is usuallyof a length slightly less than the length of the stem 22. A plug 28 isprovided and is tapered towards its upper end. A threaded opening ismade in the upper end of the plug and the lower end is somewhat flaredand includes a series of small, vertical ribs 29.

Prior to mounting the cap 18 on the post 11, the screw 28 is droppedinto the opening 23, the head of the screw being flush with the top 19by reason of the countersunk opening 26. The plug 28 is projectedupwardly into the opening 23 into contact with the lower end of thescrew and is rotated slightly so that screw and plug will not becomeseparated. The cap .18 is now placed on the upper end of the post 11. Assuggested, the cap provides a finished appearance to the post eventhough the post may, as suggested in dotted lines in FIG. 1, be ofsomewhat greater length than the upper edge of the panel 12 joinedthereto. Due to the depth of the cap flanges 21, the cap may be presseddownwardly on to the post to the extent that the lower edge of one ofthe flanges contacts the upper edge of the panel 12. Of course, duringmounting the cap, the stem 22 moves downwardly in the opening 17 of thecore 16. To secure the cap against displacement, the screw 27 is rotatedand this rotation serves to move or feed the plug 28 upwardly of thestem opening 23. There is little or no tendency for the plug to rotatedue to contact of the ribs 29 with the stem 22 and, consequently,continued rotation of the screw causes a continually larger portion ofthe plug to enter the opening 23 until a point is reached such that thesomewhat thinned end of the stem has been radially expanded intopressure engagement with the walls of the opening 17 of the core. Thisfrictional engagement of the stem of the cap with the core of the posteliminates any possibility of the cap becoming loosened or 3 displacedalmost without regard for any abuse to which the post may be subjected.

As not infrequently occurs, due to rearrangement of office space, freestanding partitions must be disassembled and reassembled in some otherarrangement.

This, of course, necessitates removing the caps 18 and such removal isreadily accomplished by simply pressing down slightly on the screw 27and rotating it in a direc tion to feed the tapered plug downwardly ofthe stern and to a point where it no longer forces the stem walls intopressure contact with the Walls of the core. When this is done, the capmay be readily removed from the post and ultimately can be re-applied inthe manner set out above.

It will be understood that the means by which the herein disclosed capmay be secured to, or released from engagement with, the post isapplicable to posts and caps of a contour or shape other than that shownand described and that any variations in the securing structure or thepost and cap are contemplated as being within the spirit and scope ofthe invention insofar as such variations are encompassed by the annexedclaims.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new and for which Idesire protection by Letters Patent 1s:

1. 1n partition construction of the free standing type wherein arectangular post is provided with a centered circular hollow core, a capfor said post, marginal depending flanges on said cap defining arectangular recessed area for receiving and engaging the top of saidpost, an integral cylindrical stem depending from the center of said capand being of a diameter to be freely movable into said core to an extentthat said flanges overlie and conceal the top of said post, said caphaving an external opening connecting the opening in said stem, a screwprojecting into said stem through said cap opening, a tapered plugprojecting into the other end of said stem, the tapered end of said plughaving a threaded opening, the threads of which being engaged by saidscrew, said screw being rotatable to draw said plug inwardly of saidstem and uniformly expand the wall thereof into pressure engagement withthe wall of said core.

2. In partition construction of the free standing type, a post having acentered circular hollow core of prescribed -inner diameter, a cap forsaid post, an elongated cylindrical stem integral throughout with saidcap and depending from the center of the inner cap surface, said sternbeing of a diameter to project into said core substantially throughoutits length, interfitting marginal portions of said post and said capserving to prevent relative twisting during the securing of said cap tosaid post, said cap having an external opening connecting the opening insaid stem, a screw projecting into said stem through said cap opening, atapered plug projecting into the other end of said stem, the tapered endof said plug having a threaded opening receiving said screw, said screwbeing rotatable to draw said plug inwardly of said stem and uniformlyexpand the end of the cylindrical wall thereof into pressure engagementwith said core.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS546,258 Suverkrop Sept. 10, 1895 618,681 Jerome Jan. 31, 1899 1,193,636Van Antwerp Aug. 8, 1916 1,805,731 Beckwith May 19, 1931 1,918,607 LindhJuly 18, 1933 v2,218,581 Levan Oct. 22, 1940 2,287,079 Anderson June 23,1942 2,840,243 Brinker June 24, 1958

